Senate confirms former coal lobbyist to head EPA

By Lisa Friedman

Published
2:26 pm PST, Thursday, February 28, 2019

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday confirmed Andrew Wheeler to be the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, giving oversight of the nation’s air and water to a former coal lobbyist and seasoned Washington insider.

The confirmation formalized a role Wheeler has held in an acting capacity since the summer when President Trump’s first administrator, Scott Pruitt, resigned amid multiple ethics inquiries.

The vote, 52-47, went mostly along party lines and underscored partisan divisions over the Trump administration’s continued commitment to repealing environmental regulations under Wheeler.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was the only Republican to vote against Wheeler.

“The policies he has supported as acting administrator are not in the best interest of our environment and public health, particularly given the threat of climate change to our nation,” Collins said.

Nearly eight months after taking over the chief role from Pruitt, who was known for his combative style, analysts said Wheeler had brought a change in demeanor to the agency but virtually no difference in policy direction from his predecessor.

Republicans said they have been delighted to discover Wheeler is as enthusiastic about repealing environmental regulations and promoting coal as Pruitt was and are looking to him to cement Trump’s legacy as a warrior against what they see as regulatory overreach.

“He’s been a very solid follow on to Scott Pruitt,” said Michael McKenna, a Republican energy lobbyist. “He’s followed through in a fairly aggressive fashion on everything Scott started.”

Wheeler has moved to dramatically weaken two of former President Barack Obama’s signature climate change initiatives, cutting emissions from power plants and from automobiles, while also proposing to make new coal-fired power plants easier to approve.

He also has sought to unwind the legal justification for curbing toxic mercury emissions from power plants and to limit federal protection of small waterways, and he dismissed a panel of independent scientific advisers.

Some of the most consequential climate rollbacks are expected to be finalized in the coming months.